2. amps-preamps
  3. 188731-2274

Anybody else get a NAD M66 yet?

I took delivery of a new NAD M66 preamp last week.  I’m curious if anyone else has one yet?  One reason I was interested in it was the all-analogue pathway having a resister ladder relay volume control.  The early videos posted by NAD demonstrated the volume control clicking (as resistor ladders will do…).  Mine does not, even when in analogue bypass mode using an external source.  I’m wondering if they changed the design or if mine is not working properly.  

Initial impressions are mixed, but it’s too early to make determinations.  The other reason I wanted to try it out is for the DIRAC live and bass control capability.  After playing around with the DIRAC, I can say it definitely makes a big difference in my asymmetrical room.  I finally get non-boomy bass and hear all the low notes consistently.  It does seem to take a bit out of the transparency of the overall sound, but again, too early to make final judgments.

Overall, it works well and sounds pretty good, but they still have some bugs to work out, which were expected I think, given the delayed release. For example, if you are using a source with the all digital processing (like the internal DAC), and have subwoofers connected as I do, then switch to an external source with analogue bypass, the subwoofers still seem to be stuck in digital processIng and lag behind the main speakers.  Also, playing around with the various settings in analogue bypass and in the digital domain have left me with an error message, and the unit reboots itself.

Used as a simple analogue preamp, it sounds pretty good but not up to the standard of a stand alone $5k preamp.  One might expect that, given all of its features for the price, and again, it is early.  It is very smooth though and nothing sounds unpleasant through it.  It definitely shows promise, we’ll see how further use goes…

jimmy2615
koestner
671 posts
 

Can you hook up a self powered hard drive (2 TB) to the USB input and play WAV files? If so, how do you view the files to play? Do you use a TV hooked up to the M66, or can you see your files on an iPad?

siccivic420's avatar
siccivic420
7 posts
 

You're supposed to be able to but I think it is not working yet. But it works on my Bluesound node 2 which is same app.

jimmy2615 OP
440 posts
 

It works.  I just tried a USB unpowered drive, plugged it into the back of the unit.  The M66 automatically indexed it without me doing anything.  About 5 minutes later it became available and playable.  The albums show up in your BluOS app on your tablet, or whatever you’re using.

mulveling's avatar
mulveling
1,915 posts
 

It works. I just tried a USB unpowered drive, plugged it into the back of the unit. The M66 automatically indexed it without me doing anything. About 5 minutes later it became available and playable. The albums show up in your BluOS app on your tablet, or whatever you’re using.

I only have M12, not M66, but it should be the same either way going through NAD’s BluOS module. You need to go into your BluOS app settings and turn on "Enable Server Mode" and then re-index your music collection - and wait for it to finish! I still had a hell of a time getting it to work with a separately powered USB HDD (traditional hard disk). The re-index process took forever and often didn’t work at all. Since I switched to a Solid State USB drive (2TB, powered through USB), it’s all worked extremely well.

jimmy2615 OP
440 posts
 

After some more trials using the M66 as an analogue preamp using an external DAC and comparing it to the Primaluna (PL) Evo400 preamp, the PL sounds better.   Besides the usual tube benefits you would expect (3D soundstage and liquidity), the stand alone preamp has more punch, is more dynamic, more ‘raw’ sounding,in a good way.  The NAD isn’t bad at all, but it is refined to a degree that makes it a bit boring.  I do like to listen at lower volumes, and I think that is coming into play in my judgments.  You could turn the NAD up a lot without it losing its cool.  But what is telling is I also prefer the DAC direct to the amplifier (NAD M23) than using the M66.  It is also more dynamic.  So far the M66 sounds best just using its own internal DAC and as a streamer.  I see why the M33 was so well received.  Using the M66/M23 combo just as a digital streamer/pre and amp basically replicates the M33, and it sounds very good.  Overall I think the M66 is a great product and does a lot very well.  

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